Mark Johnston has broken the long-standing record of trainer Richard Hannon Sr’s 4,193 winners in Great Britain. Here we look at the Middleham trainer's top ten triumphs:
April 30, 1994: MISTER BAILEYS
Race: Madagins 2000 Guineas at Newmarket
Mister Baileys had won the Vintage Stakes and Royal Lodge Stakes as a two-year-old but was having his first start for nine months and went off at 16/1 in a field of 23. Mister Baileys hit the front three out under Jason Weaver and then dug deep in the closing stages to repel Grand Lodge by a short head.
June 22, 1995: DOUBLE TRIGGER
Race: Gold Cup at Royal Ascot
Double Trigger was an outstanding stayer who won no fewer than a dozen Group races for Johnston. One of his finest moments came at the Royal Meeting when, sent off at 9/4, he was sent straight into the lead by Weaver and galloped his rivals into submission and won by five lengths from Moonax. He was runner-up a year later and second again in 1998.
July 27, 1995: DOUBLE TRIGGER
Race: Goodwood Cup at Goodwood
A tremendously proud day for Johnston with Double Trigger beating his full brother, Double Eclipse, also trained by him, by a neck at the end of a pulsating contest. The siblings drew clear together from two out, Double Trigger worthy of all the plaudits as he was conceding 21lb. He went on to win the race twice more.
June 18,1996: BIJOU D’INDE
Race: St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot
Bijou D’Inde had finished a close third in the 2000 Guineas before having a troubled preparation and finishing fourth in the Irish equivalent. He went off at 9/1 at the Royal Meeting but was back at his peak, making the running under Weaver and rallying gamely when collared to beat Ashkalini, the French 2000 Guineas winner and favourite, by a head.
June 23, 2000: FRUITS OF LOVE
Race: Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot
The globetrotting Fruits Of Love performed with distinction around the globe but enjoyed his finest moments at the Royal Meeting - winning back-to-back renewals of the Hardwicke Stakes. This second success, when partnered by Olivier Peslier, was extra sweet because Johnston also saddled the runner-up, Yavana’s Pace, who a couple of years later would make history by winning a Group 1 race in Cologne at the age of 10.
June 20, 2002: ROYAL REBEL
Race: Gold Cup at Royal Ascot
Royal Rebel had beaten Persian Punch by a head under Johnny Murtagh in the Gold Cup the previous year but was sent off 16/1 for his defence after several indolent displays in the build-up. But Johnston horses can never be written off and, reunited with Murtagh for the first time in ten months, he was rejuvenated and prevailed by a neck.
May 2, 2004: ATTRACTION
Race: UltimateBet.com 1000 at Newmarket
The filly with a flawed confirmation and ungainly action had been unbeaten in five starts as a two-year-old but had been absent ten months, having cracked a pedal bone in the interim. Sent off at 11-2 under Kevin Darley, Attraction kept on gamely to win by half a length. Before her career was drew to a close she would win four more races at the highest level.
October 16, 2004: SHAMARDAL
Race: Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket
The big, powerful son of Giant’s Causeway was trained by Johnston as a two-year-old, before being switched to the yard of Saeed Bin Suroor. An eight-length winner on his debut at Ayr, he then won the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood easily before raising the bar in the Dewhurst - making all and winning by two and a half lengths easing down under Darley.
October 2, 2009: AWZAAN
Race: Shadwell Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket
The speedily bred colt lined up at Newmarket unbeaten in three starts, having won the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury only a couple of weeks earlier. Richard Hills hit the front on him about a furlong out and he kept on well to keep Radiohead by three quarters of a length, with Showcasing and Poet’s Voice the next pair home.
September 26, 2015: LUMIERE
Race: Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket
The grey daughter of Shamardal had impressed when winning on her debut at Newmarket in July before finding one too good in the Lowther. She had run green at York but was much more professional upped to Group 1 company for the first time - breaking alertly, showing great speed and keeping on gamely to win by half a length under William Buick.
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